• LUKE BRYAN, ALAN JACKSON, LADY A, LBT AND CB30 PERFORM DURING THE ENCORE PRESENTATION OF THE CMA COUNTRY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL AIRING THURSDAY.

    Country Music’s biggest names celebrate the holidays with an encore presentation of “CMA Country Christmas,” airing this Thursday, Dec. 21st at 9/8c on ABC.

    The eighth annual “CMA Country Christmas” returns with first-time host and iconic entertainer Reba McEntire and features two hours of festive performances from Nashville’s famed Grand Ole Opry House by Luke Bryan, CB30, Dan + Shay, Brett Eldredge, Alan Jackson, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Dustin Lynch, Kelsea Ballerini, Reba, CeCe Winans, Trisha Yearwood and Chris Young. Don’t miss fantastic collaborations by Ballerini and Reba, Little Big Town and Reba, and Jackson and Young.

    Visit CMApress.com for artist interviews and performance clips. For more information, visit CMAChristmas.com and follow us on Twitter @Countrymusic.

  • CHRISTMAS 2017: Lady Antebellum

    The members of Lady Antebellum all have families of their own, and they’re all excited to pass on their own traditions to the next generation, which will include Dave Haywood’s new addition due any minute, as well as Hillary Scott’s twin daughters due in February. Charles Kelley, Dave and Hillary share their memories, traditions and favorites of the yuletide season below.

    The trio is making their way up the country charts with their latest hit, “Heart Break.”

    Audio / Lady Antebellum discuss real or fake trees for Christmas.

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    Lady A (fake tree vs real tree) OC: (Charles) …the lights up. :47
    DAVE/HILLARY: “Fake tree!”

    CHARLES: “I would love to have a real tree, and we used to have it and I always wondered why I couldn’t breathe. [LAUGHS] Dave and I share, we’re allergic to everything in this world, so we have to have fake trees.”

    HILLARY: “There not as messy. [CHARLES: “And who wants their house to burn down accidentally?”] They still kinda shed anyway like a real tree, but I don’t know, I just feel like the sap and everything, it gets on my floor.”

    DAVE: “Which some people love! Most people … the cleanup and the smell, but for me it’s just a little too much maintenance at Christmas time. I’d rather focus on [HILLARY: “The family.”] presents, family, food [CHARLES: “And drinking.”], so then the tree just pops in the attic for good.”

    HILLARY: [LAUGHS] “Pre-lit tree.”

    CHARLES: “Omigosh, you’re going super laziness.”

    DAVE: “You at least need to put some lights on.”

    CHARLES: “At least string the lights up.”

    Audio / Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott recalls some of her mom’s ornaments she thought was tacky when she was a child, but insists now that they hang on the tree.

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    Lady A (Hillary—tackiest ornaments) OC: …this year? [laughs] :20
    “My mom, I gave her such a hard time when I was a little girl, because she went to some store and got these, it’s like snowmen with an icicle hanging down from the bottom, so I thought they were so gawdy. But you know what? Now that I’m older, I love ‘em. And if they’re not on the tree, I’m like, ‘Mama, where are they? Where are the snowmen icicle lights this year?” [laughs]

    Audio / Lady A’s Charles Kelley says he has some of his own childhood handmade ornaments on his tree…much to his wife’s chagrin.

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    Lady A (Charles trimming the tree) OC: …she relented. :25
    “My mom actually sent me some of our old ornaments that we had made and stuff. We always had the cheesiest tree (HILLARY: “Homemade…”), but I miss it. It was always so very colorful. And with my wife, she’s very stylish and chic, and so she wanted this really chic tree, and so she wanted this really chic tree, and I said, ‘Baby, I’m sorry. We’ve got to put a little color in this.’ So, I put some of my cheesy little stuff on there, and I think that’s part of Christmas. I think you have to have that, so she relented.”

    Audio / Lady A’s Dave Haywood recalls his favorite Christmas gift.

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    Lady A (favorite Christmas gift) OC: (Charles) …album cover, too. :15
    “My favorite Christmas gift was probably my very first guitar from my Grandpa about 15 years ago. And more recently, I got a red Gibson about 5 or 6 years ago. That red one we use on stage was given to me by my Dad for Christmas years ago.” CHARLES: “It was on our first album cover, too.”

    Audio / Lady A talk about their favorite Christmas movies.

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    LADY A (Christmas movies) OC: (Hillary) …Christmas Vacation. :14
    CHARLES: “Favorite Christmas movie would have to be A Christmas Story! I never get tired out of it – ‘shoot your eye out’ is my favorite line.” DAVE: “National Lampoon’s…” HILLARY: “Yes! My favorite Christmas movie is – it’s close between It’s a Wonderful Life and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.”

  • CHRIS STAPLETON, LADY ANTEBELLUM AND LITTLE BIG TOWN ARE INCLUDED ON THE NEW 2018 GRAMMY NOMINEES ALBUM.

    Lady Antebellum, Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town will be featured on the new compilation, 2018 GRAMMY Nominees album, which will be released January 12th. Hits by Kenny Chesney, Thomas Rhett, Bruno Mars, Kelly Clarkson, P!nk and Kendrick Lamar are also included on the collection.

    A portion of album proceeds benefit the year-round work of the GRAMMY Museum and MusiCares—two charitable organizations founded by the Recording Academy that focus on music education programs and critical assistance for music people in need.

    The 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards, which will be hosted by James Corden, will air live from New York City’s Madison Square Garden January 28th beginning at 7:30pm ET on CBS.

    2018 GRAMMY Nominees Album Track List:

    1. BRUNO MARS
      “24K Magic”
      Record Of The Year
      Album Of The Year
    2. KELLY CLARKSON
      “Love So Soft”
      Best Pop Solo Performance
    3. LUIS FONSI & DADDY YANKEE FEAT. JUSTIN BIEBER
      “Despacito” (Remix)
      Record Of The Year
      Song Of The Year
      Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
    4. KENDRICK LAMAR
      “HUMBLE.”
      Record Of The Year
      Album Of The Year
    5. LORDE
      “Green Light”
      Album Of The Year
    6. CHILDISH GAMBINO
      “Redbone”
      Record Of The Year
      Album Of The Year
    7. JAY-Z
      “The Story Of O.J.”
      Record Of The Year
      Album Of The Year
    8. ZEDD & ALESSIA CARA
      “Stay”
      Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
    9. LADY GAGA
      “Million Reasons”
      Best Pop Solo Performance
    10. IMAGINE DRAGONS
      “Thunder”
      Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
    11. THE MAN
      “Feel It Still”
      Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
    12. THE CHAINSMOKERS & COLDPLAY
      “Something Just Like This”
      Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
    13. P!NK
      “What About Us”
      Best Pop Solo Performance
    14. LOGIC FEAT. ALESSIA CARA & KHALID
      “1-800-273-8255”
      Song Of The Year
    15. JULIA MICHAELS
      “Issues”
      Song Of The Year
    16. KESHA
      “Praying”
      Best Pop Solo Performance
    17. CHRIS STAPLETON
      “Broken Halos”
      Best Country Album
    18. LITTLE BIG TOWN
      “Better Man”
      Best Country Album
    19. THOMAS RHETT FEAT. MAREN MORRIS
      “Craving You”
      Best Country Album
    20. LADY ANTEBELLUM
      “You Look Good”
      Best Country Album
    21. KENNY CHESNEY
      “All The Pretty Girls”
      Best Country Album
  • LADY ANTEBELLUM’S CHARLES KELLEY AND HIS BROTHER JOHN ARE ‘HOOKED’ ON TOP GOLF AND VANDERBILT CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL.

    Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley and his brother John hit Top Golf in Nashville, in which Charles once again wins the round. We think John probably came out a winner as he donned a Santa suit when they went to entertain the children at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. Check out all the action in the latest installment of “The Hook” below.

     

    Video / The Hook Holiday edition

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  • CHRISTMAS 2017 LINERS

    Holiday liners from UMG Nashville artists, including Alan Jackson, Billy Currington, Brandon Lay, Brothers Osborne, Canaan Smith, Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley, Easton Corbin, Eric Church, Eric Paslay, Gary Allan, George Strait, Jon Pardi, Jordan Davis, Keith Urban, Kip Moore, Lady Antebellum, Lauren Alaina, Little Big Town, Luke Bryan, Sam Hunt and more!

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    LINER AJ (Christmas)
    “Hi! This is Alan Jackson, and I’m wishing y’all a very Merry Christmas.”

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    LINER Billy Currington (Happy Holiday Season)
    “Hi! Billy Currington here, wishing you and your family a safe and Happy Holiday Season.”

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    LINER Brothers Osborne (Christmas)
    “Hey! This is T.J., and I’m John, and we are Brothers Osborne, wishing you a very Merry Christmas.”

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    LINER Canaan Smith (Christmas)
    “Hey! What’s up guys? I’m Canaan Smith, wishing you a very Merry Christmas.”

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    LINER Darius Rucker (Christmas)
    “Hey y’all! What’s up? This is Darius Rucker, wishing you a Merry Christmas.”

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    LINER Dierks Bentley (Christmas)
    “Hey! This is Dierks Bentley
    , wishing you a very Merry Christmas.”

     

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    LINER Easton Corbin (Merry Christmas)
    “Hey everybody! This is Easton Corbin, wishing you a Merry Christmas.”

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    LINER Easton Corbin (Happy Holidays)
    “Hey everybody! This is Easton Corbin, wishing you and your family a Happy Holidays.”

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    LINER Eric Church (Christmas)
    “Hey everybody! It’s Eric Church, wishing you a very Merry Christmas.”

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    LINER Eric Paslay (Christmas)
    “Hi! I’m Eric Paslay. Hope you have a Merry Christmas.”

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    LINER Eric Paslay (Holiday Season)
    “Hi! I’m Eric Paslay, wishing you a very Happy Holiday Season.”

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    LINER Gary Allan (MerryChristmas)
    “Hey! This is Gary Allan. Merry Christmas.”

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    LINER George Strait (Happy Holidays)
    ““Hey everybody! This is George Strait, wishing you and your family a Happy Holiday season.”

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    LINER Jon Pardi (Merry Christmas)
    “Hey! This is Jon Pardi, wishing you a Merry Christmas!”

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    LINER Kacey Musgraves (Christmas)
    “Hey! This is Kacey Musgraves, wishing you a very Merry Christmas.”

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    LINER Keith Urban (Christmas)
    “Hi folks, this is Keith Urban, wishing you and yours a very Merry Christmas.”

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    LINER Keith Urban (Holiday season)
    “Hi everyone, this is Keith Urban, wishing you and all your family the very best this holiday season.”

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    LINER Kip Moore (Christmas)
    “Hey guys, this is Kip Moore, wishing you a Merry Christmas.”

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    LINER Kip Moore (Happy Holidays)
    “Hey y’all, it’s Kip Moore. Happy Holidays!”

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    LINER Lady A (Christmas)
    “Hey everybody! We’re Lady Antebellum, wishing you a very Merry Christmas.”

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    LINER Lady A (Happy Holidays)
    “Hey everybody! We are Lady Antebellum. Happy Holidays.”

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    LINER Lauren Alaina (Christmas)
    “Hey! This is Lauren Alaina, wishing you a Merry Christmas.”

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    LINER George Strait (Happy Holidays)
    ““Hey everybody! This is George Strait, wishing you and your family a Happy Holiday season.”

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    LINER LBT (Christmas)
    “Hey! We’re Little Big Town, wishing you a very Merry Christmas.”

  • GRAMMY NOMINATIONS FOR CHRIS, LBT, LADY A, SAM AND BROTHERS O.

    The nominations for the 60th Annual Grammy Awards were announced early Tuesday morning (November 28th). Chris Stapleton and Little Big Town lead the country nominees with three apiece.

    Chris is up for including Best Country Album for From A Room: Volume 1, as well as Best Country Solo Performance for “Either Way” and Best Country Song for “Broken Halos.”

    The members of Little Big Town have nominations for Best Country Album for The Breaker, Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Better Man” and Best Country Song for “Better Man.”

    Lady Antebellum have two nods for Best Country Album for Heart Break and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “You Look Good.”

    Sam Hunt is also up for two Grammy Awards for Best Country Solo Performance for “Body Like a Backroad,” which is also nominated for Best Country Song. Sam wrote the record-breaking hit with Zach Crowell, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne.

    Brothers Osborne picked up a nomination for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “It Ain’t My Fault.”

    The 60th Annual Grammy Awards will air live from New York City’s Madison Square Garden January 28th on CBS.

    Best Country Album
    Cosmic Hallelujah, Kenny Chesney
    Heart Break, Lady Antebellum
    The Breaker, Little Big Town
    Life Changes, Thomas Rhett
    From A Room: Volume 1, Chris Stapleton

    Best Country Solo Performance
    “Body Like A Back Road,” Sam Hunt
    “Losing You,” Alison Krauss
    “Tin Man,” Miranda Lambert
    “I Could Use A Love Song,” Maren Morris
    “Either Way,” Chris Stapleton

    Best Country Duo/Group Performance
    “It Ain’t My Fault,” Brothers Osborne
    “My Old Man,” Zac Brown Band
    “You Look Good,” Lady Antebellum
    “Better Man,” Little Big Town
    “Drinkin’ Problem,” Midland

    Best Country Song
    “Better Man,” Little Big Town
    Songwriter: Taylor Swift

    “Body Like A Back Road,” Sam Hunt
    Songwriters: Zach Crowell, Sam Hunt, Shane McAnally and Josh Osborne

    “Broken Halos,” Chris Stapleton
    Songwriters: Mike Henderson and Chris Stapleton

    “Drinkin’ Problem,” Midland
    Songwriters: Jess Carson, Cameron Duddy, Shane McAnally, Josh Osborne and Mark Wystrach

    “Tin Man,” Miranda Lambert
    Songwriters: Jack Ingram, Miranda Lambert and Jon Randall

     

  • LUKE, LADY A, LBT. ALAN AND MORE PERFORM DURING THE CMA COUNTRY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL.

    Luke Bryan, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Alan Jackson and CB30 are set to perform during this year’s CMA Country Christmas airing Monday (November 27th) at 8pm ET on ABC.  Hosted by Reba McEntire, the two-hour special will also feature performances by Brett Eldredge, Trisha Yearwood, Kelsea Ballerini, Chris Young, Dan + Shay and CeCe Winans.

    CMA has partnered with Balsam Hill, the leading provider of beautiful, highly realistic, artificial Christmas trees and holiday décor, to decorate the “CMA Country Christmas” stage in 2017. Learn more about Balsam Hill at balsamhill.com.

    Toys for Tots collected unwrapped toys from performers including Dan + Shay and CB30 in addition to generous audience members attending “CMA Country Christmas” at Nashville’s Grand Old Opry House. To learn more about donating to Toys for Tots throughout the holidays, visit toysfortots.org.

    Video / Luke Bryan answers Christmas questions

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    Video / Quick takes with CB30

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    Video / Quick takes with Lady Antebellum

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  • LADY ANTEBELLUM’S YOU LOOK GOOD WORLD TOUR CONCERT SPECIAL AIRS ON THE AUDIENCE NETWORK NEXT FRIDAY.

    On Friday, November 24, AT&T* AUDIENCE Network will present the broadcast premiere of a special concert and documentary event with seven-time GRAMMY award-winning trio Lady Antebellum via DIRECTV Ch 239, AT&T U-verse Ch 1114 and streaming on-demand through DIRECTV NOW. The two-hour show, titled “Lady Antebellum: YOU LOOK GOOD WORLD TOUR” starts live at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT and gives viewers full access to personal interviews and a never-before-seen televised concert packed with their biggest chart-topping hits and new favorites. The show was recorded live at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena–on the last official North American stop of the tour, which spanned over 60 shows this year and coincided with the release of their sixth studio album HEART BREAK (Capitol Nashville) (HERE).

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    Throughout their North American leg, “fans were happy to know it was like no time has passed” (Omaha World-Herald) before the trio wrapped Entertainment Weekly and Rolling Stone‘s “must-see summer tour” in September. Concluding with dates overseas, the tour was dubbed “one of the best nights of mainstream Nashville music that the UK’s seen” (The Digital Fix) as “they put on a polished show for a rapturous crowd in London,” (The Guardian).

    “Being on stage and feeling that high from your fans at a show is one of our favorite parts of what we do,” said Lady A’s Hillary Scott. “Their energy is crazy, so capturing it for something like this is always really fun to share. And, we shot it in our hometown of Nashville, which makes it extra sweet!”

    2017 has been another landmark year for platinum-selling trio Lady Antebellum–Hillary Scott, Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood. The group is nominated  for CMA “Album of the Year” and “Vocal Group of the Year” following more than 18 million album units sold, nine No. 1 hits, ACM and CMA “Vocal Group of the Year” trophies three years in a row and countless other honors including seven GRAMMY awards, Billboard Music Awards, People’s Choice Awards and Teen Choice AwardsUsing their “renewed energy” (People), the group hit the road this summer on their YOU LOOK GOOD WORLD TOUR featuring special guests Kelsea Ballerini and Brett Young, as they introduced fans to “a fresh twist with the addition of a live horn section” (CMT) into a set already packed with mega-hits. 
    The new single and title-track Heart Break–an empowering call of independence– was co-written by the trio and the track provides “a bedrock for the entire record” (Paste) as “Scott takes satisfaction in feminine independence” (NPR) with “a touch of darkness and a clever play on words” (Rolling Stone). With eleven songs penned by Lady A, HEART BREAK (Capitol Nashville), the “buoyant album” (Entertainment Weekly) earned the group their fifth No. 1 debut position on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart, immediately skyrocketed to the Top 10 on all-genre iTunes charts in 15 countries around the world and the new collection landed on multiple mid-year “best of lists” including Rolling Stone, The Tennessean and Taste of Country.

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  • THANKSGIVING 2017

    The Thanksgiving holiday tradition traces its origins to a 1621 celebration at Plymouth, in the state that’s now known as Massachusetts. The 1621 Plymouth feast and thanksgiving was prompted by a good harvest. While initially, the Plymouth colony did not have enough food to feed half of the 102 colonists, the Wampanoag Native Americans helped the Pilgrims by providing seeds and teaching them to fish. The practice of holding an annual harvest festival like this did not become a regular affair in New England until the late 1660s. People now celebrate the holiday by giving thanks for their blessings over the past year, as well as feasting on turkey and other festive goodies.

    Thanksgiving Day is Thursday, November 23rd, and most people will be enjoying time with their friends and families, including some of your favorite country stars, such as Alan Jackson, Brothers Osborne, Canaan Smith, Clare Dunn, Darius Rucker, Dierks Bentley, Easton Corbin, Eric Church, Eric Paslay, Josh Turner, Keith Urban, Kip Moore, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Mickey Guyton, Sam Hunt and more. They share their thoughts, memories and favorite Thanksgiving dishes.

    Audio / Alan Jackson talks about his favorite Thanksgiving dish.

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    AJ (Thanksgiving) OC: …enjoy it. :19
    “My favorite Thanksgiving dish would be the homemade dressin’ that we, cornbread-based kind of dressin’ that we always have with turkey. That recipe is a kind of a combination of my mama, and Denise has taken it and perfected it over the years, so that me and my children really enjoy it.”

    Audio / Brothers Osborne’s John Osborne talks about their annual Misfits Thanksgiving dinner.

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    Brothers Osborne (misfits Thanksgiving) OC: …going home. :45
    “What we’ve done the past several years is because it’s so hard to go home, we would have what we call the Misfit Thanksgiving dinner, and all the people in Nashville who aren’t able to go home to their families, we would just invite them over to our house and have a big potluck style Thanksgiving dinner. We’ll take like a couple of tables and throw them together and throw some sheets on it just to make it look nice. It’s a very redneck display of like tableware, because all the plates don’t match and the forks and knives don’t match, but we don’t care. People will bring wine, and at the end of the day, we’ll probably have 12-15 people all sitting at dinner together that weren’t able to go home with their families, and just enjoy it with friends. It’s been really fun. Definitely a lot less stress than going home.”

    Audio / Canaan Smith says his favorite Thanksgiving dish is pumpkin pie.

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    Canaan Smith (pumpkin pie) OC: …Thanksgiving. :14
    “Pumpkin pie is where it’s at. My mom makes the best. She got it from her mom, my Nanny. It’s so good. It’s made from scratch. Everything about it, it’s just mouthwatering. I love it. I can’t get enough. If I could get fat, it’d be from pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving.”

    Audio / Clare Dunn talks about her favorite Thanksgiving side dish.

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    Clare Dunn (Thanksgiving dish) OC: …like hers. :21
    “I think my favorite Thanksgiving dish [is] my mom makes the best mashed potatoes in the world. I mean, they’re crazy. They’re like garlic and butter and all the good stuff, so that’s probably my favorite Thanksgiving dish. Oh, and she makes great stuffing too, and I’m not a stuffing person, but I like hers.”

    Audio / Darius Rucker talks about his favorite part of Thanksgiving.

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    Darius Rucker (favorite part of Thanksgiving) OC: …my family. :17
    “My favorite part of Thanksgiving is easy – it’s food. It’s eating. It’s hanging out with family and getting some great food, ‘cause that’s really what Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving is about giving thanks for all of the great things you’ve got, and I always give thanks for the greatest thing I’ve got and that’s my family.”

    Audio / Easton Corbin talks about spending Thanksgiving with family.

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    Easton (Thanksgiving) OC: …my grandma’s. :33
    “Having family and being able to spend that quality time with them and obviously, the opportunity to do what I do. But absolutely during that time, being able to spend that time with family and your loved ones. We used to always go to my grandma’s, that’s Christmas and Thanksgiving. We’d go there for the big meal. I don’t get to go back much. A lot of times I’ll stay up [in Nashville] for Thanksgiving, and then go down during Christmas, but we’d always go to my grandma’s.”

    Audio / Eric Church says he’s thankful for his family as well as for his fans.

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    Eric Church (Thanksgiving) OC: …want to do it. :23
    “A couple of things. I’m thankful for my family and great health. And I’m thankful for from a career standpoint, I’m very thankful for the success we’ve had lately. I’m thankful for what the fans have done. I mean there’s a lot of stuff to be thankful for in that regard. And I’m thankful that I was given the opportunity to do it my own way. I’m thankful that I’m going to get to keep doing this and do it the way that I want to do it.”

    Audio / Eric Paslay talks about his favorite Thanksgiving memories.

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    Eric Paslay (Thanksgiving) OC: …too much. :05
    “My best Thanksgiving memory, I think, is just hanging out with family, watching football and eating too much!”

    Audio / Josh Turner shares his favorite Thanksgiving side dish.

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    Josh Turner (fave side dish) OC: …’em myself. [laughs] :24
    “Uh, deviled eggs! [laughs] Where I’m from in South Carolina, I don’t think I’ve tasted a bad deviled egg. It’s like everybody has their own twist on it, but they’re all good, but I always loved it when my mama made ‘em. I’m learning as I get older, making deviled eggs is no easy task. It’s more complicated than it looks, and so that’s probably why I never made ‘em myself.” [laughs]

    Audio / Keith Urban will be celebrating Thanksgiving at home in Nashville, along with his wife, daughters and mother, who is flying in from Australia this weekend. He recalls the very first Thanksgiving he spent in the States.

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    Keith Urban (1st American Thanksgiving) OC: …immediately. [laughs] :44
    “The first Thanksgiving I ever had here, which was 25 years ago, ‘cause I’ve been here a long time now. But the first one I ever had, I remember going to this family’s home, they invited me to Thanksgiving, and I couldn’t believe the volume of food. It was insane. I’ve never seen so much food in my life. Then after the food, there was like 12 desserts. I was like, ‘Why are there so many desserts?’ They said, ‘Well, because every Aunt and every Grandma, everybody brought their thing, their special dessert, and you have to try every one of ‘em.’ I’m like, ‘There’s like THREE apple cobblers.’ And they’re like, ‘Yeah, but they’re made by different people and they’re all watching, so you have to make sure you try everything up there.’ [laughs] I was in love with Thanksgiving immediately.” [laughs]

    Audio / Kip Moore talks about his annual Thanksgiving plans to go home to visit with his family.

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    Kip Moore (Thanksgiving) OC: …with them. :11
    “I [usually] go home for Thanksgiving. I love going home to see all them. I have five brothers and sisters and it’s a blast to go home and just catch up on their lives. I get so wrapped up in all this that I lose touch sometimes, and it’s cool to hear everything going on with them.”

    Audio / Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott describes her favorite Thanksgiving dish.

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    Lady A (Hillary-Thanksgiving food) OC: …ever tasted. :12
    “So, my favorite Thanksgiving food would have to be my grandmother’s sweet potato casserole. There’s just something she puts in it — probably all the love – that makes it better than anything I’ve ever tasted.”

    Audio / Lady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley talks about one of his favorite Thanksgiving memories.

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    Lady A (Charles-Thanksgiving eating contest) OC: …five pounds! :25
    “One of my most memorable Thanksgiving memories was probably the first year that me and my two brothers (John and Josh) decided to start our annual eating contest where we ate throughout the whole day. We started that morning and weighed ourselves and at the very end of the night, we weighed ourselves out and all three of us equally gained five pounds. I wish we had a more accurate scale to decide the winner, but we all tied. Five pounds!”

    Audio / The members of Little Big Town love Thanksgiving since they get time off to be with their families.

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    LBT (Thanksgiving) 2 OC: (Kimberly) …and eat. :31
    KIMBERLY: “Thanksgiving—we love Thanksgiving, ‘cause we get to be with our families and we don’t often get to spend time with our families, our extended families, until the holidays. I love being around the table with my family and talking and laughing and cooking and eating…” JIMI: “And eating and eating and eating and eating…” PHILLIP: “The laughter around the eating, the good cheer, the celebration, the music…” JIMI: “The eating, going taking a nap, then coming back and eating.” KIMBERLY: “Go to bed with a full belly, take a nap, and then get up and eat.”

    Audio / Mickey Guyton talks about one of her favorite Thanksgiving traditions.

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    Mickey Guyton (Thanksgiving traditions) OC: …Thanksgiving traditions. :17
    “One of my Thanksgiving traditions is playing charades after Thanksgiving dinner. I’m not the most competitive person in the world, but as soon as you put some Charades in the picture, I am crazy, and you will definitely want to be on my team if we’re playing Charades. I’m just saying. So, that’s one of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions.”

    Audio / Sam Hunt talks about his favorite Thanksgiving meal.

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    Sam Hunt (Thanksgiving eats) OC: …glass of milk. :34
    “When I pile my plate up, it’s mostly turkey and then I’ll put a little dressing on the side, and I’ll usually go ahead and grab my dessert on the first run [laughs] and have it ready before it all disappears. Those are the really the three things. It’s strange, but since I was very young, I’ve always loved drinking milk, my brothers too, we drank lots of milk. My cousins, who grew up down the road, they always looked at us funny when we wanted to drink milk with our Thanksgiving meal. They would have coke or whatever else. So, I still get turkey, dressing, a piece of pecan pie and a big ole glass of milk.”

     

  • SOME OF NASHVILLE’S BIGGEST STARS HELP RAISE MORE THAN FOUR MILLION DOLLARS FOR THE COUNTRY RISING BENEFIT.

    Nashville’s biggest stars united Sunday night for COUNTRY RISING, raising more than four million dollars to support charitable initiatives for those affected by the September 2017 hurricanes as well as victims of the recent shooting in Las Vegas. From top to bottom, the production was as big as the talent that took the stage at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, including host Bobby Bones and performers Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Sam Hunt, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Chris Stapleton, George Strait, Keith Urban and surprise guest Jon Pardi. Additionally, Garth Brooks sent in a special video from Spokane, WA where he donated proceeds from the night’s two shows.
     
    Lady Antebellum opened the show with some of their biggest chart-toppers as well as an ode to Tom Petty as the trio covered “Learning To Fly,” followed by host Bobby Bones welcoming the crowd. “Our country has been hit hard by tragedy this year,” Bones said. “It’s affected our families. It’s affected our friends. It’s affected the Country music community, but even during those hard times what we always try to do is find the good and make the difference, and tonight we’re trying to make the difference.” 

    Sam Hunt performed a medley of his biggest hits, as well as a unifying chorus of “This Land Is Your Land.” Martina McBride belted out timely songs including “Love’s The Only House” while Keith Urban brought energy to the stage as he interacted with the crowd and performed his soulful “Blue Ain’t Your Color.” Dierks Bentley’s set included his powerful song “Riser,” which he dedicated to the first responders and the community for rallying together and rising up in the midst of tragedy, also surprising the crowd by bringing out special guest Jon Pardi who performed “Dirt On My Boots.” 

    Jason Aldean took the stage for a significant set, acknowledging the shooting in Vegas that personally affected him.
     
    “It’s been a rough couple months for us up here, and it’s a lot of fun to get back out and play for the people who matter which is you guys,” said Aldean. “I love getting up every day and playing music, and I’ll be damned if anybody out there will ever stop me from doing that.”
     
    Little Big Town performed some of their biggest hits including their smash “Better Man” while Chris Stapleton’s set included his poignant “Broken Halos,” as he announced that he and his wife Morgane are donating $250,000 to the cause.

    Reba McEntire’s performance included her tenacious “Going Out Like That” while Garth Brooks sent a surprise special video performing “Callin’ Baton Rouge” from Spokane, WA, donating proceeds from the night’s shows.
     
    George Strait closed out the evening with his beloved hits including “Amarillo By Morning.”

    Fans across the country unable to attend the benefit can continue to give by texting ‘NASHVILLE’ to 41010, by donating at www.CountryRising.org or by purchasing merchandise HERE. All proceeds raised will go toward the Country Rising Fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee, which was established to support charitable initiatives to help victims of the September 2017 hurricanes — Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria. Additionally, the fund will also envelop victims of the recent shooting in Las Vegas. In the course of rebuilding lives disrupted by these devastating events, there are immediate needs and there also will be long-term needs. 
     
    COUNTRY RISING has also been supported by sponsors Citi, Texas Roadhouse, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, BMI, Budweiser, Frost, City National Bank, Cracker Barrel Old Country Store™, Sony Pictures Animation’s THE STAR, WME and Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Additional local businesses including Vintage Sparkle Furniture Rental, Events Plus, Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row, Black Tie Moving, Virago, Hattie B’s, Copper Whisk Cakes, Tin Roof, Dry House, Love and Lion, Foot and Salt Spa, HH Events and Revive Nashville have also stepped up to support the cause. 

    all photo credit: Getty Images